About Us

The Loma Linda University Center for Imaging Research (CIR) has been established within the School of Medicine as a research resource that promotes collaborative projects between scientists and physicians to develop leading edge molecular imaging research aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of disease and provides focused education and training opportunities for students, postdoctoral research and clinical fellows. One of the strengths of the Center is the capability to provide both production and pre-clinical and clinical imaging services to the research community. Within our facility, research projects carried out on animal models can be translated to clinical and clinical research applications. The Center is currently involved with projects in the fields of oncology, neurology, neuroscience, neurosurgery, radiation science and radiobiology.

Our Facility

CIR is located in the Chan Shun Research Building next to Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC) and Loma Linda Pediatric Hospital. The facility houses two cyclotrons for on-site production of positron emitting radionuclides adjacent to a fully equipped radiochemistry laboratory capable of synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals for animal and human research. In addition, Loma Linda University has partnered with Siemens’ PETNET Solutions Inc. to operate and maintain the cyclotrons and a licensed radiopharmaceutical production facility. The LLU facility became operational in September, 2015 and is one of 46 production facilities operated by PETNET worldwide.

CIR operates a pre-clinical imaging laboratory with microPET, microCT and MR imaging modalities available to investigators in basic science research. Next door, in the University Medical Center, state-of-the-art PET/CT, SPECT, MR and CT with advanced imaging capabilities are available to carry out the imaging needs for basic science and clinical research. LLUMC and Loma Linda Pediatric Hospital serve a large population base and are very active in recruitment of patients for clinical trials. While its first priority is to serve the Loma Linda research community, this facility welcomes researchers and industry collaborators from outside Loma Linda University.